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Friday, July 1, 2011

Make Space

I'm back from an evening spent at Make Space, part of the Renew Newcastle project coordinated by my lovely friend Edwina and some of her ever-so arty and clever pals. It was part of The Winter Wander which involved a number of the Renew Newcastle projects. Renew Newcastle is a scheme by which empty shops on the Hunter Street Mall are handed over to local artists and crafts people to use as shops or work spaces/galleries until new paying tenants come along. For more info check out here. What could potentially be a very run down part of town has been turned around by these great spaces which draw people in who are wanting something different than your usual mass-produced, soulless items. Make Space alone sells clothes for women and children, accessories, cards, jewellery, cushions and artwork all made by local women with a flair for something a wee bit different.

Tonight was all about 'Warm Fuzzies" being winter an' all! From 5pm there was Sticky Date pudding, Gluwein, apple pie (and later, for those of us who stuck around long enough, pizza!), felt corsage flower making for the kids and crochet for us oldies! Edwina had asked me if I'd be happy to give tips, admittedly much later when I'd already said what a great idea and couldn't back out! Thankfully most of the lovely ladies had some experience, one girl was crocheting shawls for her bridesmaids for her wedding in 6 weeks time and clearly knew one end of a hook from another, others were after a wee reminder and some were coming to it for the first time. We had great fun, the kids had a ball and at one point, the queue for pudding went all around the shop and out the door!

I will freely admit to having a touch of the end-of-term meh's and wasn't really feeling in the mood for heading out on a rainy night, however Miss M and I had a really great evening, saw lots of friends, made a few more, made a brooch and a couple of Granny Squares, and, lets face it, you can't feel "meh" after Sticky Date Pudding with caramel sauce, washed down with Gluwein!

Thanks Ed, Chris, Jo, Gillian and Susie and apologies if I have forgotten anyone! Can we do it again next month?

This sounds positively fantastic Sandra! What a great initiative. I think it was the perfect thing to do on a cold, rainy night... and isn't everything so much better with tasty food to go with it ;o) The pics are great!What a lovely thing for a bride to do... crochet shawls for her bridesmaids, sweet :o)